


To Have and to Hold

by Ozymanreis



Series: 30 Day Sheriarty Challenge [16]
Category: Sherlock (TV)
Genre: 5+1, Drug Use, Implied/Referenced Drug Use, Implied/Referenced Sex, M/M, Marriage, Marriage Proposal, Rituals, Sherlock Holmes and Drug Use, Time Skips, but actually 4+1
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-17
Updated: 2019-01-17
Packaged: 2019-10-11 21:48:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 646
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17454866
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ozymanreis/pseuds/Ozymanreis
Summary: The 5 times Sherlock Holmes asked Jim Moriarty to marry him (he potentially says yes).





	To Have and to Hold

**Author's Note:**

> Day 22: Ritual

The first time Sherlock asks, it’s almost a joke. “Perhaps we should just get married.”

Jim blinks several times in surprise, jaw falling slack, “What a way to make a girl feel special. ‘Perhaps,’ and ‘should just.’ _Really!_ Almost as if it’s a burden, or a duty.”

“Well, I…” Sherlock pauses, hums, then drops to one knee, taking Jim’s hand in his own, “Marry me? It’ll make me at least 60% happier.”

“Thought it was stupid to use paper and government sanction to define relationships?”

“It is, but societally-”

“Oh honey.” Jim pulls Sherlock up, shaking his head at Sherlock using the word “societally” in a proposal, laughing a little as he plants a kiss on his cheek, “Take some time to work on your pitch and try again.” 

 

* * *

 

The second time Sherlock asks, five months later, it’s to meet the call of the issued challenge. He’s read the literature, blogs, watched movies, clips on Youtube, he’s certain he knows what to do.

While Jim was out, the detective set up his flat with flowers, champagne, candles, and classical music. He’s even bought a ring, a simple platinum band, a companion one for himself, nestled in a black, velvet box.

He waits a moment for Jim to walk into the flat properly, the scent, the dramatic lighting, all of his senses hitting his brain in sweeping realization. In that moment, Sherlock closes in on him, offering the ring, “Marry me?”

But the stunning beauty of the gesture isn’t enough to catch Jim off guard for very long, “Why?” He asks simply.

“Because I want to. So do you.”

“Of course I want to…” He cups Sherlock’s face lightly, the slightest look of pity on his face, “But I’m not saying yes today.”

 

* * *

 

The third time, Sherlock’s relapsed with what he assures Jim is, “the tiniest amount of opiates.” Still, the detective has trouble getting off his boyfriend’s sofa, walls crawling and shimmering around him.

“Marry me.” It’s less a question, more of a statement that just floats out of his lungs. There’s a cold rag draped over his eyes, unable to see the reaction — though he imagines it’s not pleased.

Jim is silent a moment, pulling Sherlock’s loafers off, setting them aside, “You’re high.”

Jim isn’t wrong, so Sherlock doesn’t argue.

 

* * *

 

“Mm…” Sherlock begins in the dark, collapsing over Jim’s chest, sweat cooling on his back.

Jim hums in delight, palm caressing his side, “Don’t even ask.”

 

* * *

 

They’re on the balcony, a flat in Hawaii that Jim had bought as a getaway between the games, cushioned porch swing swaying them in the breeze. Jim was laying across it, legs in Sherlock’s lap, book on sailing in front of his face. It was nice.

“Marry me?” Sherlock asks, having lost track of how many times he’d asked over the years. He doesn’t know why he hasn’t given up, but alas, he can’t help it. Looking at Jim now, even older as they are, grey streaking his hair in the sunlight… there’s still nothing he’d like more.

Jim’s still reading his book, glasses resting on his nose. He turns the page, humming softly, “Okay.”

“W-what?”

Jim shrugs, setting his book on the patio table, folding his hands on his stomach, “I said okay.”

Sherlock smiles, but is almost mistrustful. Had his ears deceived him? “What made you change your mind?”

“I didn’t. I’ve always wanted to.”

“Then why…?”

“Because,” Jim inhales, almost unsure, as if he were letting go of some great secret, “after twenty years, I can finally believe it’ll last.”

Sherlock tilts his head, “I never even considered.”

Jim shrugs again, propping himself up some on his elbows, “People change. People grow apart… But we haven’t.”

“We haven’t.” Sherlock agrees, leaning over for a kiss, “But I’m going to make you _suffer_ for doubting me.”

“Ha.” Jim wraps his arms around Sherlock’s neck, “I can’t wait.”


End file.
